Oakville · Napa Valley
Visit Rudd with a Private Chauffeur
An organically farmed Oakville estate on the Oakville Cross Road with 20,000 square feet of caves, visited by appointment, and a suggested six-hour day of tasting around it.
Book a Six-Hour Wine Tour
About the Winery
Leslie and Susan Rudd founded Rudd Estate in 1996 on the Oakville Cross Road, setting out to make site-driven estate wines. Today the estate is in the stewardship of Chanel, whose wine holdings include St. Supéry in Napa Valley and Bordeaux's Château Rauzan-Ségla and Château Canon. Natalie Bath is the winemaker.
Right after buying the winery, the Rudds enlarged the existing caves to 20,000 square feet, and the 78,000 tons of rock blasted out were reused to build the stone walls around the property. The caves hold barrels in zoned temperature and humidity, and the Rudd Wine Library of past vintages. The vineyards sit on iron-rich volcanic soils and are farmed organically by the estate's own team.
The estate calls its winery the Workshop, with barrel, stainless steel and concrete fermentation side by side. Visits are by appointment only, requested through the estate's form or by phone, and the format and any fee are set when the visit is confirmed. Guests who like the story behind a wine tend to love the caves; we make the request on your behalf.
Tasting Fees
Tasting fees to be verified upon reservation.
Tasting fees as of September 2026. Wineries set and collect their own fees, and they change from time to time.
At a Glance
Location
500 Oakville Crossroad, Oakville
AVA
Oakville
Visiting
By appointment only, requested through the estate's visit form or by phone (707-944-8577, ext. 1). We arrange it on your behalf.
Known For
Organically farmed Oakville estate wines, led by Cabernet Sauvignon-based reds
Founded
1996
Good to Know
There is no walk-in tasting room; every visit is scheduled with the hospitality team in advance. The estate does not publish ages, group limits or a fee, so these are confirmed when the appointment is made.
A Suggested Six-Hour Day
Pickup at 10:00 a.m. from a nearby hotel such as Bardessono or North Block Hotel.
10:00 · Pickup at Bardessono or North Block Hotel
Bardessono, a garden hotel in Yountville, and North Block Hotel, a small hotel in the center of Yountville, are each about 10 minutes from the Oakville Cross Road. This day runs a little over six hours, and extra time can be added by the hour.
10:15 · Rudd Estate
A private appointment arranged with the hospitality team; we plan about an hour and a quarter. The format and any fee are confirmed by the estate.
11:50 · Young Inglewood Vineyards
About 15 minutes away. A small, organically farmed family estate in St. Helena; every private tasting starts with a short vineyard walk and is poured in a salon filled with the family's art collection. $125 for the Estate Tasting, about 90 minutes. Prepaid on Tock, with times daily from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
1:30 · Lunch at Market
About 8 minutes away. Lunch at Market, an American restaurant in a historic brick and stone building on Main Street in St. Helena, open for lunch Monday to Saturday from noon. Prefer a picnic? We can arrange a catered picnic at a winery that allows one; the cost is quoted when you book.
2:50 · Round Pond Estate
About 12 minutes away. A Rutherford family farm that makes Cabernet and presses its own olive oils, with tastings looking over vines and gardens toward the Mayacamas. The Portfolio Estate Tasting is $60 and the Artisan Estate Tasting with a gourmet plate is $95. By appointment, Wednesday to Sunday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; 21 and over, no pets.
4:05 · Back to your hotel
Back by about 4:20 p.m., a little over six hours after pickup.
About $185 to $220 per person in tasting fees for Young Inglewood and Round Pond, paid directly to each winery, plus any fee Rudd sets for the appointment.
Market serves lunch Monday to Saturday and Round Pond hosts Wednesday to Sunday, so this day works best Wednesday through Saturday. It runs about six and a quarter hours; Rudd confirms its own visit days when the appointment is made.
Every tour is custom. This day is a starting point: your chauffeur will shape it around what matters to you, and we plan multi-day tours for guests who want to see more of wine country.
Your Vehicle & Six-Hour Tour Rates
Up to 6 guests
Elite Luxury SUV
Lincoln Navigator or Cadillac Escalade
From $750
Six-hour wine tour, plus 20% gratuity. Additional hours $125 each.
Up to 9 guests
Jet Sprinter or Executive Luxury Van
Captain's chairs and room to spread out
From $1,350
Six-hour wine tour, plus 20% gratuity. Additional hours $225 each.
Larger groups travel in more than one vehicle, and we plan the winery appointments around your group, since many wineries limit groups to 6 to 8 guests. Tasting fees are separate and paid directly to each winery. Every tour starts with six hours; add time by the hour when you book.
Questions
Do I need a reservation at Rudd?
Yes. Visits to Rudd Estate are by appointment only, requested through the estate's form or by phone. When you book a tour with us, your chauffeur makes the reservation for you.
How much is a tasting at Rudd?
Rudd does not publish a tasting fee. Tasting fees to be verified upon reservation, as of September 2026.
Who owns Rudd Estate?
Leslie and Susan Rudd founded it in 1996. Today it is in the stewardship of Chanel, which also owns St. Supéry in Napa Valley.
What is special about the Rudd caves?
They were enlarged to 20,000 square feet, and the 78,000 tons of rock taken out were reused for the estate's stone walls. They also hold the Rudd Wine Library.
Is Rudd Estate organic?
The estate's vineyards are farmed organically by its own full-time team.
How does booking a tour with Bien Chauffeured work?
Reserve a six-hour tour online, even if your plans are still taking shape. Your chauffeur will email you first to learn what matters to you, then build your itinerary and make the winery appointments. Extra hours can be added.
Reserve Your Tour Now, Plan the Details Later
Your plans don't need to be final to book. Reserve your six-hour tour online, and your chauffeur will email you first to learn what matters to you, then build your itinerary and make the winery appointments. Prefer to talk? Call our concierge at 888-291-2328.
Reserve Your Tour{"@context":"https://schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Winery","name":"Rudd Estate","url":"https://www.ruddwines.com","address":{"@type":"PostalAddress","streetAddress":"500 Oakville Crossroad","addressLocality":"Oakville","addressRegion":"CA","postalCode":"94562","addressCountry":"US"},"foundingDate":"1996","containedInPlace":{"@type":"Place","name":"Oakville AVA"}},{"@type":"FAQPage","mainEntity":[{"@type":"Question","name":"Do I need a reservation at Rudd?","acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"Yes. Visits to Rudd Estate are by appointment only, requested through the estate's form or by phone. When you book a tour with us, your chauffeur makes the reservation for you."}},{"@type":"Question","name":"How much is a tasting at Rudd?","acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"Rudd does not publish a tasting fee. Tasting fees to be verified upon reservation, as of September 2026."}},{"@type":"Question","name":"Who owns Rudd Estate?","acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"Leslie and Susan Rudd founded it in 1996. Today it is in the stewardship of Chanel, which also owns St. Supéry in Napa Valley."}},{"@type":"Question","name":"What is special about the Rudd caves?","acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"They were enlarged to 20,000 square feet, and the 78,000 tons of rock taken out were reused for the estate's stone walls. They also hold the Rudd Wine Library."}},{"@type":"Question","name":"Is Rudd Estate organic?","acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"The estate's vineyards are farmed organically by its own full-time team."}},{"@type":"Question","name":"How does booking a tour with Bien Chauffeured work?","acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"Reserve a six-hour tour online, even if your plans are still taking shape. Your chauffeur will email you first to learn what matters to you, then build your itinerary and make the winery appointments. Extra hours can be added."}}]}]}